17 alpha-(2-carboxyethyl)-17 belta-hydroxy-6-nitroandrost-4-en-3-one gamma-lactones



United States Patent This invention relates to l7a-(2-carboxyethyl)-l7B-h droxy-6-nitroandrost-4-en-3-one 'y-lactones and processes for the manufacture thereof, More particularly, this invention provides new and useful chemical compounds of the formula wherein the nitro substituent at carbon atom number 6 can be in either a or 8 configuration.

Equivalent to the foregoing lactones for the purposes of this invention are corresponding hydroxy acids and their alkali salts of the formula H30 JHgGH OOOM Had! . N01 wherein M representshydrogen, an alkali metal, or the ammonium radical.

The compounds to which thisinvention relates are useful by reason of their valuable pharmacological properties. Thus, for example, they block the efi'ect of desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) on urinary. sodium and potassium and are antibiotics variously adapted to inhibit cotyledenous seed germination and the growth of bacteria such as Diplococcus pneumoniae. Their anti-DCA activity is particularly unexpected in view of prior art disclosures that the introduction of 6-nitro substituents sometimes totally destroys the characteristic hormonal activity of the material thus modified [Bowers et al.; J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 81, 3702 (1959)].

The 6,8-nitro compound derives from the reaction of SB-aeetoxy-17u-(2-carboxyethy1)androst en-l7/3-ol-ylactone with nitric acid in a cold ethereal medium to give 3,8-acetoxy-17a-(2-carboxyethyl) -.6 nitroandrost-S-en- 175-01 y-lactone, which is saponified with aqueous methanolie'potassium hydroxide to give 17a-(2-carboxyethyl)- 6-nitroandrost 5 en-3B,17B-diol y-lactone. The, latter lized from methanol to give 3fl-acetoxy-17a-(Z-carboxy- 3,159,022 Fatented mes. l, 1954 to a proton source. Prolongation of the exposure time I induces lactonization.

The following examples describe in detail compounds illustrative of the present invention and methods which have been devised for their manufacture. However, the invention is not to be construed as limited thereby, either in spirit or in scope, since it will be apparent to those skilled in the art of organic synthesis that modifications, both of materials and of methods, may be practiced without departing from the purpose and intent of this disclosure. Throughout the examples hereinafter set forth, temperatures are given in degrees centigrade and relative amounts of materials in parts by weight, except as otherwise noted. Specific rotations are at 26 in chloroform solution and refer to the D line of sodium.

EXAMPLE 1 (A) 3fl-acet0xy-17u (2-carboxyethyl)andr0st 5-m- 176-01 y-lacton er-To a solution of 96 parts of 17u-(2- carboxyethyl)androst-5-ene-3 8,17fi-diol 'y-lactone (US. 2,705,712) in 245 parts of pyridine is added 108 parts of acetic anhydride. The resultant mixture is allowed to stand at room temperatures overnight, then diluted with 2500 parts of water and chilled. Insoluble solids are tered off, washed with water, dried in air,and recrystalethyDandrost-S-en-lflB-ol y-lactone melting at 181- 183Q (B) 35 acetpxy-l7a-(2-carb0xyethyl)-6-nitroandrost- 5-en-17-0l 'y-lactone.-To a suspension of 11 parts of 3;8 acetoxy-17a-(2 oarboxyethyl)androst-5 enrl7fl-ol 'y-lactone in 410 parts of anhydrous ether at between -5 and 0 is slowly added, with agitation, 450 parts of fuming nitric acid. The resultant mixture is maintained at 0:5 for 2 hours, then allowed to warm slowly to 15, at which tempenature 600 parts of aqueous 5% potassium bicarbonate is introduced. The mixture thus obtained is diluted with 280 parts of ether, whereupon the other phase is separated, the aqueous phase extracted with 280 parts more ether, and the ether extract combined with the ethereal phase previously separated. The resultant ether solution is successively Washed with 200-part portions of aqueous 5% sodium bicarbonate until the aqueous phase involved just darkens, whereupon the ether solution is washed with saturated aqueous sodium chloride and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. Solvent is thereupon removed by distillation and the residue chromatographed on silica gel, using benzene and ethyl acetate as developing solvents. From an eluate comprising 10% ethyl'ncetate in benzene, upon removal of solvent by vacv uum distillation, 3 8-aeetoxy-17a-(Z-carboxyethyi) 6-nitrocompound is oxidized to 17a-(2-carboxyethyl)-17/3-hy- 1 droxy -.6,8 nitroandrost-4-en-3-one 'y lactone with cold aqueous acetonic chromium trioxide. The 60c nitro epirner is obtained by dissolving 17a-(2-carboxyethyl)- 17fi-hydroxy-6B-nitroandrost 4 en 3 one 'y-lactone in set forth above readily devolye-from the corresponding lactones on contact with aqueous alkali, and the free acids are obtained from the salts -by a criticallybriefexposure androst-5-en-17fl-ol -lactone is obtained as the residue.

(C) 1 7a(2 -carb0xyethyl) -6-nitr0andr0st-5-ene-3B,17(3- diol -lactone..To a solution of 11 parts of 3/3-acetoxy- 17a- (Z-oarboxyethyl) -6-nitroandrost-S-en 17 [3-01 v-lactone in 160 parts of methanol is added a solution of 10 parts of potassi-urn-hydroxide in parts of water. The resultant mixture is heated to the boiling point'under re flux in a nitrogen atmosphere with agitation for 1 hour,

then diluted with 200 parts of water. 'The mixture thus obtained is acidified with 40 parts of acetic acid and chilled. The supernatant is decanted and the gummy reside taken up in dichloromethane. The dichloromethane solution, dried over magnesium sulfate and stripped of solvent by vacuum distillation, aifords 17a-(2-carboxyethyl) -6-nitroai1drost-5 -ene-3 13,17 fi-diol 'y-laotone;

(D) 1705 (2-carboxyethyl) 1ZB-hydfoxyhfl-nitroandr0sI-4-en-3-one -lactone.An excess of Ian 8 N solution of 267 parts of chromium trioxide in a mixture of .425 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid with water q.s. is I cautiously added, withvigorous agitation at 0, tOfa soluition of 10. parts of 17a-(2-c'arbox'yethyl)-6#nitroandrost-5- i one-36,17,8-diol -lactone in 80 parts of acetone. The resultant mixture is maintained at for 2 minutes, then diluted with 300 parts of water. Insoluble solids are filtered off, washed with water, and recrystallized from a mixture of acetone and hexane to give 17a-(2-carboxyethyl) 17B hydroxy 6B nitroandrost 4 en 3- one 'y-l'actone melting at 202-206" and having a specific rotation of 126. The product has the formula EXAMPLE 2 4 which precipitates is isolated by filtration, washed with water, and recrystallized from aqueous acetone to give (2-carboxyethyl)-17/8-hydroxy-6a-nitroandrost-4-en- 3-one 'y-lactone melting at 121-124 and with a specific rotation of +13. The product has the formula What is claimed is:

1. 17a (Z-carboxyethyl)-17fi-hydroxy-6/3-nitroandrost- 4-en-3-one 'y-lactone.

2. 170: (2carboxyethyl)-17fi-hydroxy-6a-nitroandrost- 4-en-3-one -lactone.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Celia Apr. 5, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES Bowers et 31.: J.A.C.S., vol. 81, No. 14 (1959) pages 3707-3710. 

1. 17A-(2-CARBOXYETHYL)-17B-HYDROXY-6B-NITROANDROST4-EN-3-ONE $-LACTONE. 